2024 Year in Review
A look back at refugee resettlement in FY 2024 and where we stand for FY 2025.
By Sophia Donis
As you might have already heard, Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 was a record-breaking year for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). 100,034 refugees were resettled across the United States, making it the largest year for resettlement since FY 1994.
Many factors contributed to this large-scale growth, including larger budgets for federal programs that support refugee resettlement, hundreds of additional refugee officers to conduct admission interviews, and increasing the efficiency of case processing by utilizing an electronic case system.
As the federal government worked on rebuilding the USRAP, the number of people displaced across the globe also grew. The UNHCR Global Trends Report estimates 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2023.
War, violence, conflict, and climate-related factors continue to force millions of individuals to flee their homes. In 2023, 73% of refugees worldwide originated from Afghanistan, Syria, Venezuela, Ukraine and South Sudan.
For FY 2024, the Biden administration set the USRAP admissions cap at 125,000 arrivals to affirm the country’s commitment to welcoming refugees and respond to the growing need for global humanitarian aid.
Exponential Growth in FY 2024
Fiscal Year 2024 (Oct. 1, 2023 – Sept. 30, 2024)
By the end of FY 2024, Missouri welcomed 3,273 refugees, more than doubling the refugee admissions total from the previous fiscal year. Local resettlement agency staff and direct service providers worked tirelessly to resettle our newest neighbors, optimizing systems and developing new programs.
Taking a closer look at the data, we continue to notice the same trends in the top nationalities of refugee arrivals, with the majority of refugees originating from the Middle East and Africa. Year-over-year, the largest number of refugees are coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as violence continues to escalate and displace thousands of people.
Additionally, while the age distribution of arrivals is consistent across fiscal years, we have noticed a shift in the primary languages spoken. In FY 2024, there are much larger numbers of Dari, Pashto, Arabic and Spanish speakers compared to FY 2023.
As local resettlement agencies increased their staff to meet the large influxes of new arrivals, they also got creative with new programs to better serve newcomer populations. In Joplin, Refugee And Immigration Services & Education (RAISE) launched a wellness program focused on refugee wellness, health education and health navigation. So far, the program has enrolled over 60 clients and has been a catalyst for bridging gaps between refugees and the surrounding community.
In Kansas City, Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) created a digital literacy program with the mission of addressing internet access, connectivity and digital skills. More than 100 laptops have been distributed to clients, providing crucial internet access to families.
The International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL) rolled out their translation and interpretation services to help bridge language and cultural barriers. Language experts can now provide translations for over 45 languages and over 300 languages for over-the-phone interpretation.
Age Distribution of Arrivals
Primary Languages
Impact of MO-ORA
FY 2024 was also a big year for MO-ORA. We attended 17 community events, held over 30 service provider trainings and moved into a new office in downtown St. Louis. Additionally, we hired three new team members, expanding our Communications, Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Kansas City teams.
Our various Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) programs reached new heights, with record numbers of clients enrolled across the state. In the inaugural year of our EMPOWER program, 131 individuals received job placements, propelling newcomers toward self-sufficiency. We also bolstered our refugee wellness efforts by hosting 15 trainings covering mental health first aid, refugee mental health and psychosocial support skills.
Through our Youth Mentoring program, we held our first-ever Refugee Youth Art Contest in celebration of Welcoming Week. Refugee youth from Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri (CCCNMO) and IISTL produced 15 art pieces channeling the theme “We’re All In”.
Connecting with service providers, community members and newcomers reaffirmed our commitment to resettlement time and time again. We look forward to continuing our mission of promoting the well-being and inclusion of refugees in FY 2025 and beyond.
Current State of FY 2025
Fiscal Year 2025 (Oct. 1, 2024 – Sept. 30, 2025). Data referenced in this section is the most recent data available as of January 22, 2025.
Similarly to the three previous fiscal years, President Biden set the cap on the U.S. Refugee Admissions (USRAP) program at 125,000 refugee arrivals. As of December 31, 2024, the U.S. has resettled 27,308 refugees from 62 countries through the USRAP.
In Missouri, local resettlement agencies have committed to resettling 4,338 refugees in FY 2025. So far, we have resettled 1,046 refugees and 179 Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) from 10 countries.
A new trend we have started to see is an increase in refugee youth coming to Missouri. Data pulled from the MO-ORA database on January 22, 2025, shows about a 10% increase in the 5–17-year-old age bracket compared to data from the previous fiscal year.
While this was a strong start to FY 2025, there is much left unknown as new executive orders have shifted the course of refugee resettlement.
On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration signed an executive order suspending the USRAP and Welcome Corps program, effective January 27, 2025. There is now a halt to all refugee processing, and exceptions will only be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Another executive order was signed to end the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV) Program, effective immediately. This program was established in January 2023 to allow Americans to privately sponsor newcomers from these four counties, granting them humanitarian parole status.
For more information on how this will impact refugee resettlement in Missouri, read our statement from the Missouri State Refugee Coordinator.
There are many questions left unanswered for what comes next, but there is still work to be done. Missouri is home to many newcomers, and it is our duty to ensure they are integrated into their new communities and led on the path towards self-sufficiency. Together, we can work towards creating welcoming infrastructure, safe spaces, and a Missouri that values and champions refugees.